In a significant development, Saudi deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Abdel Fattah Mashat said that one million Haj visas have been issued since May 9 this year. The milestone marks a crucial step in the preparation for the annual Haj 2024 (1445 AH) in the Saudi Kingdom.
Abel Fattah Mashat, while addressing the third main session of the Grand Hajj Symposium titled “The Kingdom’s Organizational Efforts to Facilitate Hajj Works,” stated that the scheduling of pilgrim groupings and movements between Haj cities and regions is based on accumulated experience and modern technical capabilities.
Mashat further stated that the ministry uses advanced technology to schedule the assignment of responsibilities, the scheduling of pilgrims’ groupings, and the establishment of connections with the offices of pilgrims. Also, the Nusuk card is one of the technical services, which contributes to the pilgrims’ grouping operations and catching violating pilgrims.
Moreover, to make the Haj experience hassle-free, the Saudi authorities have launched a unified visa platform, KSA visa, which connects over 30 ministries, authorities, and private organisations to simplify visa applications.
The Saudi government has recently announced that unauthorised pilgrims and visa overstayers, with strict regulations in place for visit visas, will be arrested. They have clarified that visit visas do not serve as Haj permits.
The director of Public Security and head of the Hajj Security Committee, Muhammad Al-Bassam stated that pilgrims without a valid Haj permit entering the holy sites will be arrested regardless of whether they are dressed in ihram (white garments worn by Muslim worshipers during the Hajj ritual).
“The arrests will take place during the days of Tashreeq (Dhul Hijjah 11–13), and the violators will face legal penalties, which include fines of 10,000 Riyal and the deportation of foreign expatriates,” he added.
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